knock, knock...

Kaoru quickly put down her mirror and turned to the door in a calm voice, “yes?”

Kenshin peeped through the door smiling with a sweat drop. “Kaoru-dono, daizoubu de gozaru ka?”

‘ugh, there it is.. that heart-breaking ‘dono.’ well, I guess I shouldn’t expect him to change much.... or at all....’ the thought made Kaoru pale.

“Kaoru-dono?”

“Hai, Kenshin. I am okay. Just a bit frustrated that’s all.” Kaoru managed to smile.

Kenshin stepped into the room. “Well, is there anything I can help you with?”

‘Yah, maybe you can show me a bit more affection!’

“No, Kenshin. It’s all right.” ‘It really isn’t, but what else can I say?’ Kaoru answered a little bit depressed. Not wanting to distract her anymore, he went out of her room.

Kaoru sighed. ‘Why am I like this?? How can I expect him to express his feelings for me when he hasn’t even confessed and I am not very certain about the way he feels about me?’ She looked at herself in the mirror again. ‘Listen, Kaoru. Take it slow. Give him some time. It’ll be a happy ending, I am sure....’ Kaoru trailed off towards at the end full of uncertainty. ‘... or would it???’

Just as Kenshin closed the door of Kaoru’s room, he sighed. He covered his eyes with one of his hand in frustration... with himself.
‘NO!!! that’s not it!! I practiced before I knocked on the door! ‘Kaoru, daizoubu?’ and get in the room and sit next to her to find out what’s bothering her and maybe hold her hand, and maybe...’ Kenshin’s face turned red deep in his thoughts. Kenshin continued to hide his face in his hand, only deeper leaning on the door that he just closed of his beloved one.

Suddenly the door opened.

“Whoa!!”

“Akkk!!”

Kenshin fell back into the room as suddenly as the door abruptly opened. ‘Ite....’ Kenshin slowly lifted his head, sitting up halfway supported by his arms. It was then when he realized who the second scream belonged to. Kaoru was looking straight at him, surprised, right underneath him. Kenshin froze. There she was, blushing, her hands folded together on her chest, her lips slightly parted in surprise, her eyes shyly sparkling at the unexpected... chance.(^^) Kenshin couldn’t move... no... he didn’t want to move... to be exact. And yet he had to do something. The couple seconds of silence was too much to handle.

Finally Kenshin murmured, “Ano...” Kaoru flinched as the perfect silence was broken by the voice of a man she loved. She disappointedly looked away from his eyes for she knew she just lost her chance to do....... wutever.

“Ano...” Kenshin said again.

“Hai..” Kaoru replied in a small voice.

‘Okay, Kenshin, you are going to get up and apologize to her, for falling on her. And after that, you are gonna smile and walk aw...’
“Can I kiss you?”

Kaoru looked back at him, her eyes as wide as ever. Kenshin was having a panic attack just as much as herself.

‘What... what did I just say?????’

‘What.. what did he just say????’

Kenshin suddenly stood up and lowered his head, his face completely red with embarrassment.

“Gomen! Gomen nasai!” ‘Kaoru-dono has every right to get mad. She must think I am a horrible man to ask her such thing in that situation!’ Kenshin closed his eyes once in remorse. Kaoru slowly sat up starring at Kenshin who was dramatically apologizing to her.

“I...” Kenshin began.

“Why are you apologizing?” Kaoru interrupted him suddenly feeling not disappointed but very sad.

“Because I asked you... and you must think that I....” Kenshin managed to say something but he realized that it came out all wrong.

“What you are saying is that you had the wrong idea for a split second and now you realize that you didn’t really mean it,” Kaoru answered lowering her eyes.

“Kaoru-dono... I..”

“Ne, Kenshin, don’t worry. It’s okay, I know you didn’t mean it. We all make mistakes when we say things in our lives.” Kaoru forced a smile and stood up turning around. Silent tears were building up. ‘baka, Kaoru...’ Kaoru thought to herself and fought her tears back. “Kenshin, I need to change. Will you excuse m....”

Two strong arms wrapped her shoulders. “Ken...shin?” Kaoru’s voice trembled in surprise. He only held her closer in return.

“Iie.. Kaoru-dono.. iie.. I really meant what I asked of you. And I didn’t mean it for just at that moment. I meant it to be for everyday, every minute, every second of my time.” Kenshin whispered behind her, his voice shy yet determined.

Kaoru slowly turned her head. “Ken...”

“Demo..” Kenshin interrupted her quickly. “I didn’t want to offend you by how I felt. I know it was rude and inappropriate and..... Kaoru-dono??” Kenshin stopped as he felt Kaoru’s tears on his hands. “Kaoru-dono..” He turned her around. Her expanding blue eyes were crying in both sad and happiness. “Kaoru-dono, why.... Gomen!! Gomen!!” Kenshin started apologizing again not knowing what to do. Kaoru smiled slightly as she dropped to the floor. “Kaoru-dono!” Helplessly sitting down Kaoru wiped away her tears and smiled. Kenshin merely starred at her concerned.

“Kenshin, are you going to lie to me that you didn’t know how I felt about you?”

Kenshin was startled by her question. “I...” Kenshin looked into her sea-blue eyes. All he remembered then was how he felt warmth and love in her gaze. “I was too occupied with my flowing emotions toward you that I couldn’t possibly figure out about how you felt about me.” Kenshin finally answered.

Kaoru shook her head. “Ie, Kenshin, ie. I think you were just not sure about how to return my love. You had to figure that out. And...”

“And I did,” Kenshin finished holding her face with his hands. “I figured out that I couldn’t get away from you. That my rurouni years are over. And this is where I belong. This is where the wind lingers. That... I need you and I...” Unable to express how much he loves her in words, he held her, he brought his lips on hers, startling her at first, but later she slowly returned his kiss in the way he kissed her. When they finally parted, Kenshin managed to finish, “... and I love you.”

Kaoru closed her eyes and leaned into him still feeling her first kiss on her lips. “You could’ve realized it sooner... baka...” Kaoru murmured against his wide-open chest, a gentle smile spreading on her face. Kenshin looked down on her and smiled.

He held her tight in his arms and replied, “ I don’t think I can let go now.”

“Don’t. Not ever again.” Kaoru answered. “Aishiteru....”